The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) will hold a special film screening, Q&A, and charity food drive event on May 6, featuring the documentary film Harry Chapin: When In Doubt, Do Something, which celebrates the extraordinary life and activism of LIMEHOF inductee singer songwriter Harry Chapin, from Huntington Bay.
Harry Chapin was an American singer-songwriter, philanthropist, and hunger activist best known for his folk rock and pop rock songs. He achieved worldwide success in the 1970s. Chapin, a Grammy Award-winning artist and Grammy Hall of Fame inductee. As a dedicated humanitarian, Chapin fought to end world hunger. He was a key participant in the creation of the Presidential Commission on World Hunger in 1977.
In 1987, Chapin was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his humanitarian work. That medal is on display along with other Harry Chapin artifacts at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame.
Chapin, who was inducted into LIMEHOF in 2006, is an excellent example as someone who was involved with a wide range of charity organizations including co-founding WhyHunger in 1975 and Chapin also founded Long Island Cares in 1980. Today the organization is headquartered in Hauppauge, NY with food pantry locations throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties including Freeport, Lindenhurst, Huntington Station, and Hampton Bays.
Told through archival footages and new interviews, When In Doubt, Do Something explores key moments in Chapin’s life, including performing with his brothers and working on the Academy Award-nominated documentary Legendary Champions, to his solo success with hits like “Taxi,” “W.O.L.D.” and “Cat’s In The Cradle” and his tireless philanthropic work, which included his efforts with WhyHunger and a seemingly endless run of benefit performances, all of which led to him being posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.
This documentary paints a new picture of the singer-songwriter who used his fame as a launching point to help others and influence politics. It features testimonials from Chapin’s family (including Tom Chapin and Steve Chapin), as well as peers including Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Pete Seeger, Kenny Rogers, Robert Lamm (Chicago), Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, Pat Benatar, Bob Geldof, Ken Kragen, longtime bassist John Wallace, and WhyHunger co-founder Bill Ayres.
As a dedicated humanitarian, Chapin fought to end world hunger. He was a key participant in the creation of the Presidential Commission on World Hunger in 1977. In 1987, Chapin was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his humanitarian work. That medal is currently on display along with other Harry Chapin artifacts at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame.
The event is also part charity food drive as there will be collection boxes and LIMEHOF is asking that attendees bring food donations for Harry Chapin’s Long Island Cares organization whose CEO Paule Pachter is featured in the film and will be participating as a panelist.
The event is free with the purchase of a general admission ticket. The Q&A portion with the filmmakers will be hosted by LIMEHOF Vice Chairman and the longtime host of the Sounds of Film Radio Show Tom Needham.
For more information, and to purchase tickets, please visit LIMEHOF’s website.
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